Brolly is on the case.
After the late drama in Sunday’s All-Ireland club football final between Kilmacud Crokes and Watty Graham’s Glen, Joe Brolly feels that the ‘honourable course’ is that the game will be replayed.
Rule 6.44 (b) (i) was breached in the dying moments of the game when the Dublin champions defended Glen’s last attack with 17 men on the pitch.
Paul Mannion was as good as off the pitch but, crucially, having been substituted for Conor Casey, Dara Mullin remained on the goal-line.
Glen manager Malachy O’Rourke indicated after the game that, personally, an appeal wouldn’t be his preferred course of action but the Watty Graham’s chairman Barry Slowey later revealed that the club will seek clarification from the GAA.
“We have been made aware that potentially a rule was broken, and the club will be seeking clarification from the GAA on it,” he said in a statement.
Former Derry footballer and barrister Joe Brolly feels that when this clarification is sought, ‘a replay is the likely outcome.’
“My own view is that the honourable course is a replay,” he said on Twitter.
“This was not a technical breach of the rule. 15 v 15 is a fundamental requirement. Playing v 16 men in the dying minutes with the extra man defending the goal line is a travesty. Lads. Get off the beer!
“Under R6.44, the Committee only has 3 options: Award of Game to the Opposing Team, Replay, or Fine, “depending on the circumstances.” Here, Dara Mullin was subbed, stayed on & defended the goal line for the last 45. It was a flagrant breach at a critical moment,'” he added.
“The “circumstances” couldn’t have been more critical. This wasn’t a player straying over the sideline, not interfering with play.
“The GAA will not want to set a precedent encouraging teams to fire on extra players at the end to defend a lead. A replay is the likely outcome.”
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